Safety-powder for blasting.



ennsnoivr Moons names, or orNcINNA'rrnnn MILTON r. LINDSLEY, ortxmes-iuims,

orno,

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GnRsHoM M. Parties, of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, and MILTON F. LrNosLnY, of Kings Mills, county of \Varren, and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Powder for Blasting, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to a new and useful.

. improvement in safety. powder for blasting an explosive comp desirable properties as an explosive, to make, store, transport and fire, but which purposes. I I I The object of the invention is to furnish ound which shall have the be safe shall" readily detonate throughoutits mass and thus avoid theznecessity of introducing into the cartridge an extra detonating material for, priming, or using an extra large, expensive and dangerousydetonating cap.

Nitrate of ammonia, is common to most so called safety powders, both in this country and abroad, and has'been extensively used bined with oxygen in pro er as an explosive for many years. It is not only powerful in its action, butexplodes at a comparatively low-temperature, and gives off a large amount of hydrogen, which, con1- roportions, produces water either con ense or in the orm of vapor,,thus dampening down and extinguishing flame. But the eat objection to nitrate of ammonia is 1ts suscepti bility to moisture, and when damp, it loses its power, and not only that, but it affects other .ingredients with'which it may be incorporated, to their disadvantage. Its high hygroscopic properties detonation, and it has been found that 'detonation must be prompt and com lete in order to secure tne requisites of sa ety. It cannot burn, as in the case of black powder. To protect against moisture, it has been customary with those skilled in the art, to waterproof the granules of nitrate of ammonia with some sort of impervious coating, such as parafiin, res1n or collodion; but this practlce greatly'lnterferes wlth ign tlon or detonation. 1 In carrying out the present invention, we do not attempt any coating specifically of the nitrate of ammonia, but seek first of all to get a perfect article of this species which is pure, dry and hard in its granules in accordance with the improved. methods of Specification 01. Letters Patent.

tridge or case in pensive also interfere with ing agent to secure detonation,

sArnTY-Pownnn non BLASTING.

hpillicationfiled December 1908. Serial No. 466,093.

manufacture; and then take the precaution- --to heatand dry out this substance before mixing it with other ingredients, or packing n cartridges. .In order to kee our improved powder dry, we rely chie y'for protection on the form and character of the carwhich 'the composition is packed for transportation and use, which is a firm tube. thoroughly waterproofecl andhaving the ends hermetically sealed so that .65

neither water nor air can get at the'contents; but as this form of. cartridge or-case ahdmethod of packing are' the subject of another application for patent now-pendinglIl' the'United States Patent Oflice, it is not 7,0-

necessary to here further describe the same.

It willbe understood, however, that comsl etejprotection is thus afforded to'-the pow-' er, and ignition or detonationis not interferedwith when it is desired, for use. 7 {1,5 JNe prefer nitrated wood fiber as a sensiitizing agent, rather, for example, than nitroglycerin or gun cotton (which are the most commonly used), both because it is less exaction, which are important qualifications when it comes to blasting coal-and most work in quarries, where heavingthe mass rather than shattering it is-desired. Further, nitrated wood fiber is not incon ruous 35 with nitrate of ammonia, as would e the J ease with chlorate of potassium. Nor does it give 03 in the act of explosion poisonous or offensive gases, as in the case of picricacid or nitro-glycerin. Nitrated wood fiber so is also available 'and effective in our compo. sition because, inasmuch as our granules of, nitrate of ammonia are not coated, they do j not require so strong-and violent a sensitiz readily with nitratecl wood fiber, which contains eleven per cent. of nitrogen \Ve are therefore able to use one of the lower grades of nitro compound, and thisis advantageous, because thelower the grade, thecbetter,

qualities, which supplemental elements are asphalt- 'nd mirbane oil in small per cents. no

and not so sudden and violent in its so but co-act for 100. 1 blasting purposes, provided it does the work Asphaltis a mixture of hydro-carbons, and the oil of mirbane bein formed by the nitration of a. coal tar product resembling in its properties the heavier, part or oily base of benzin, the two readily combine with the othersubstances as explosives. The asphalt is preferably cut up or liquefied by the oil of mirbane, to secure better'distribution, and

the two together are 'poured' upon and to the density of the substance and assist in packing it more perfectly into cartridges.

They likewise have a modifying effect on the explosive. The oil tends to reduce the sensitiveness of the nitro compound, while its solution With'asphalt serves. to prevent friction during the incorporation of ingredients, thusprotecting the nitrated Wood fiber from heating'to the point of danger. It also tends to slow down action in explosion, and

, heave the mass,which are very desirable worked together and qualities in blasting.

In the process of making, the nitrate of ammonia is thoroughly dried and pulverized, the wood fiber, chemically pure, is reduced to an impalpable powder or dust, nitrated, neutralized and dried, according to the ordinary method, and the asphalt is dissolved in the oil of mirbane. All are then practically incorporated into one substance by means of light incorporating wheels turned .on abed plate after the manner of. incorporating wheels in a black powder mill, or the incorporation may be sufficiently done by a mixing machine, such as a dough mixer. After its in corporation, the material is packed in various sized waterproof paper tubes and. hermetically sealed.

The formula or proportions of ingredients are preferably substantially as follows:

Nitrate of ammonia 75% Nitrated wood fiber L 20% Oil of mirbane 4% Asphalt 1% Total 100% The compound as thus formed is an explosive of superior qualities, which in part may be enumerated as follows: It is flameless and of low. teni erat-ure in explosion, and therefore safe td use in mines. It will readily detonate through its mass by means of a primer of ordinary strength, and will not explode except by detonation. It cannot be exploded by friction, blow, shock, or the application of fire, and is therefore safe to handle and transport. Its keeping properties, when made and packed as described,

"are of the best. It is stable and not affected by changes in atmosphere. It will not freeze, exude, or harden with age. It cannot be exploded by an electric current, even when short-circuited through it.

Having described the nature of the invention and the manner of compounding and transporting the same, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Asafety powder consisting of nitrate of ammonia, nitro-cellulose and a nitrohydrocarbon solution of asphalt.

2. A safety powder consisting of nitrate of ammonia, nitrated wood fiberand a nitrohydrocarbon solution of asphalt.

3. A safety powderjconsisting of nitrate of ammonia, nitrocellulose and a mirbane oil solution of asphalt.

4. A safety powder consisting of a mixture of nitrate ofannnonia, nitro-cellulose, Inirbane oil, and asphalt.

5. A safety powder consisting of nitrat of ammonia, nitrated wood fiber, mirbane oil, and asphalt.

6. A safety powder consisting of nitrate of ammonia, nitrated wood fiber, mirbane oil and asphalt, all -incorporated into a homogeneous mass.

7. A safety powder comprising the following ingredients and in substantially the following proportions; nitrate of ammonia, seventy-five per cent.. (75%), nitrated wood fiber, twenty .per cent. (20%), mirbane oil, four per cent. (4:%) and asphalt, one per cent. (1%).

8. A safety powder comprising the foll0wing ingredients incorporated into aahomo-v geneous mass, and in substantially the following proportions: nitrate of ammonia, seventy five, per cent. (75%), nitrated wood fiber, twenty per cent. (20%), mirbane oil,

four per cent. (4%), and asphalt, one' per cent. (1%).

9. A safety powder consisting of a substantially homogeneous mixture of nitrate of ammonia, finely divided nitro-cellulose, and

a mirbane oil solution of asphalt.

-In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of subscribing witnesses, on this-2d day of December A. D. 1908.

eER sHoM MOORE PETERS. MILTON 1 LINDSZLEY.

Witnesses:

A. M. BEEKLEY, A. T. LEININGER, SIMON Ross, Jr. 

